The University of Cincinnati men’s golf team recorded a 15-over par 296-285-298=879 to finish in third place at the Rice Intercollegiate on Tuesday at Westwood Golf Club (par 72; 7,184 yards) in Houston, Texas.

It marks UC's sixth consecutive Top 5 finish this season.

Junior Jared Howard (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) ended with a 3-over par 75 on Tuesday to tie for fifth in the 84-player field at even-par 72-69-75=216. He matched Sam Houston State’s Albert Miner who posted a 72-74-70=216. Howard finished five strokes behind tournament medalist Jamison Randall of Old Dominion, who carded a 5-under 72-70-69=211.

UTSA finished ahead of 14 other squads to claim the team title, registering an 11-over 290-291-294=875. Sam Houston State was second, one stroke ahead of the Bearcats, at 14-over 296-296-286=878.

Two other Bearcats finished in the Top 25 as junior John Michael O’Toole (Pinson, Ala./Central Alabama CC) tied three other players for eighth place at 2-over 72-72-74=218. Freshman Jared O’Kelley (Canton, Ga./Creekview) finished 22nd at 8-over 79-72-73=224.

“Today was a struggle,” UC head coach Doug Martin said. “The wind was very difficult and we made too many mistakes that kept us from winning. I think we can take a lot of positives from this week that will help us in USF’s event coming up. Our short games were rusty which was a strength of ours in the fall. We will go back to work on Thursday trying to correct the mistakes we made here. I am proud of the way this team competed, unfortunately we came up short.”

UC returns to action March 2-4 at the USF Invitational in Dade City, Fla.